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Project to Rehabilitate Highway 87 and Visitor Center Access Roads
Wind Cave National Park » Project to Rehabilitate Highway 87 and Visitor Center Access Roads » Document List
The National Park Service (NPS) and the Federal Highway Administration are proposing to rehabilitate and resurface 1.4 miles of Visitor Center access roads and 7.2 miles of South Dakota State Highway 87 within the boundaries of Wind Cave National Park.
In addition, two historic bridges – the Beaver Creek arched concrete bridge and the Pig Tail Bridge – would receive improvement to their structural integrity and repairs to deteriorated travel surfaces and guardrails.
The overall goal of this project is to improve the structural integrity and safety of the main north-south access highway within Wind Cave National Park.
Highway 87 connects Hot Springs, to the south, and Custer State Park, immediately adjacent to the north. This route includes two historic bridges constructed in 1929 and 1930, the arched concrete Beaver Creek Bridge and the unusual “corkscrew” Pigtail Bridge, in addition to numerous historic stone culvert headwalls that were constructed during the Civilian Conservation Corps era. The Visitor Center access road provides the only vehicular access to Wind Cave, the Visitor Center, and park administrative facilities.
The travel surfaces of these roads are aging and in poor condition. In addition, the bridges have suffered damage from large vehicles. Regular maintenance is no longer sufficient to address the deterioration. Resurfacing and rehabilitation would reduce the park’s maintenance burden and maintain the roads as a safe travel route through the park.
Two alternatives are analyzed in this environmental assessment:
Alternative A, the No Action Alternative: This alternative is the continuation of current management. Should the No Action Alternative be selected, the National Park Service would respond to future needs and conditions associated with maintenance of the highway, historic bridges, and Visitor Center access roads without major actions or changes from the present course.
Alternative B, the Preferred Alternative: This alternative includes rehabilitating the surface of 7.2 miles of Highway 87 and 1.4 miles of the north and south access roads to the Visitor Center parking lot, improving the Beaver Creek Bridge and Pigtail Bridge, and resurfacing and improving pullouts along the highway’s corridor. The picnic area located along the north Visitor Center access road would also be resurfaced and improved, and damaged guardrails and culverts would be replaced as needed.
The alternatives analyzed in this environmental assessment would not result in major environmental impacts or impairment to park resources or values.
To comment on issues related to the Project to Rehabilitate Highway 87 and Visitor Center Access Roads, click on "Documents & Links" tab above on the left, and then click on "Project to Rehabilitate Highway 87 and Visitor Center Access Roads.”
Information Officer Tom Farrell: 605-745-4600
In addition, two historic bridges – the Beaver Creek arched concrete bridge and the Pig Tail Bridge – would receive improvement to their structural integrity and repairs to deteriorated travel surfaces and guardrails.
The overall goal of this project is to improve the structural integrity and safety of the main north-south access highway within Wind Cave National Park.
Highway 87 connects Hot Springs, to the south, and Custer State Park, immediately adjacent to the north. This route includes two historic bridges constructed in 1929 and 1930, the arched concrete Beaver Creek Bridge and the unusual “corkscrew” Pigtail Bridge, in addition to numerous historic stone culvert headwalls that were constructed during the Civilian Conservation Corps era. The Visitor Center access road provides the only vehicular access to Wind Cave, the Visitor Center, and park administrative facilities.
The travel surfaces of these roads are aging and in poor condition. In addition, the bridges have suffered damage from large vehicles. Regular maintenance is no longer sufficient to address the deterioration. Resurfacing and rehabilitation would reduce the park’s maintenance burden and maintain the roads as a safe travel route through the park.
Two alternatives are analyzed in this environmental assessment:
Alternative A, the No Action Alternative: This alternative is the continuation of current management. Should the No Action Alternative be selected, the National Park Service would respond to future needs and conditions associated with maintenance of the highway, historic bridges, and Visitor Center access roads without major actions or changes from the present course.
Alternative B, the Preferred Alternative: This alternative includes rehabilitating the surface of 7.2 miles of Highway 87 and 1.4 miles of the north and south access roads to the Visitor Center parking lot, improving the Beaver Creek Bridge and Pigtail Bridge, and resurfacing and improving pullouts along the highway’s corridor. The picnic area located along the north Visitor Center access road would also be resurfaced and improved, and damaged guardrails and culverts would be replaced as needed.
The alternatives analyzed in this environmental assessment would not result in major environmental impacts or impairment to park resources or values.
To comment on issues related to the Project to Rehabilitate Highway 87 and Visitor Center Access Roads, click on "Documents & Links" tab above on the left, and then click on "Project to Rehabilitate Highway 87 and Visitor Center Access Roads.”
Contact Information
Facility Manager Steve Schrempp: 605-745-4600Information Officer Tom Farrell: 605-745-4600